Investors map · Worldwide

Who invests in photonics

107 investors have backed two or more of the 280 photonics startups worldwide on our map, in rounds we track. Grouped by kind, each ranked by how many of these companies it has backed; the most active has backed 19.

107investors on the map
7kinds of investor
Innovate UKbacked the most (6)
VC firmsmost common kind

VC firms

69

+45 more

Government funds

13

Corporate investors

8

Private equity and asset managers

7

Accelerators

4

Angels and networks

3

Growth funds

3

Segment by segment

VC firms

69 investors

  1. Innovate UKVC firmUnited Kingdom6 backed
  2. Verve VenturesVC firmSwitzerland5 backed
  3. Vsquared VenturesVC firmGermany4 backed
  4. Oxford Science EnterprisesVC firmUnited Kingdom4 backed
  5. Temasek HoldingsVC firmSingapore3 backed
  6. Meritech Capital PartnersVC firmUnited States3 backed
  7. Amadeus Capital PartnersVC firmUnited Kingdom3 backed
  8. Mana VenturesVC firmUnited States3 backed

Government funds

13 investors

  1. EIC AcceleratorGovernment fundEuropean Union19 backed
  2. National Science FoundationGovernment fundUnited States13 backed
  3. Scottish EnterpriseGovernment fundUnited Kingdom7 backed
  4. US Department of EnergyGovernment fundUnited States6 backed
  5. BpifranceGovernment fundFrance4 backed
  6. Shenzhen Capital Group Co.Government fundChina4 backed
  7. European Investment BankGovernment fundLuxembourg3 backed
  8. European UnionGovernment fundUnited Kingdom3 backed

Corporate investors

8 investors

  1. Intel CapitalCorporate investorUnited States5 backed
  2. Bosch VenturesCorporate investorGermany3 backed
  3. M12Corporate investorUnited States2 backed
  4. Applied VenturesCorporate investorUnited States2 backed
  5. Swisscom VenturesCorporate investorSwitzerland2 backed
  6. CienaCorporate investorUnited States2 backed
  7. Advantage CapitalCorporate investorUnited States2 backed
  8. British Business BankCorporate investorUnited Kingdom2 backed

Private equity and asset managers

7 investors

  1. Foresight GroupPrivate equityUnited Kingdom3 backed
  2. Cazenove CapitalInvestorUnited Kingdom3 backed
  3. BlackRockAsset managerUnited States2 backed
  4. Maverick SiliconHedge fundUnited States2 backed
  5. GaingelsPrivate equityUnited States2 backed
  6. 3i GroupPrivate equityUnited Kingdom2 backed
  7. Maven Capital PartnersPrivate equityUnited Kingdom2 backed

Accelerators

4 investors

  1. LuminateAcceleratorUnited States11 backed
  2. Creative Destruction LabAcceleratorCanada5 backed
  3. Plug and PlayAcceleratorUnited States3 backed
  4. NAVER D2SFAcceleratorSouth Korea2 backed

Angels and networks

3 investors

  1. 500 GlobalAngel investorUnited States2 backed
  2. ArchangelsAngel networkUnited Kingdom2 backed
  3. SICTICAngel networkSwitzerland2 backed

Growth funds

3 investors

  1. AIAmerindo Investment AdvisorsGrowth fundUnited States2 backed
  2. HHHarris & Harris GroupGrowth fund-2 backed
  3. Taiwania CapitalGrowth fundTaiwan2 backed

How this map is made. Every investor here has backed two or more startups on our photonics map, in rounds we track. Grouped by the kind of investor, each ranked by how many of these companies it has backed. Rebuilt nightly; updated 15 November 2026.

More market maps

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Market mapPhotonics market map280 startups · 6 segments · $11BRaised in 2026Photonics startups that raised in 202657 startups · 5 segments · $2.7BNew waveNew photonics startups, founded 2020 on48 startups · 5 segments · $2.4BMarket map · United StatesPhotonics market map: United States116 startups · 5 segments · $7.8BMarket map · EuropePhotonics market map: Europe96 startups · 5 segments · $1.9BMarket map · United KingdomPhotonics market map: United Kingdom34 startups · 4 segments · $449M

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